Question

Sooo… this isn’t my first Rodeo with Marlin 60’s (99’s, Glenfields etc). Really a great gun for the price… when they work.

Failure to Feed: as the bolt pushes the round forward the round begins to pivot to the right towards the ejection port. This begins a little shy of half way up the feed ramp. Usually the round stubs against the right side of the barrel or receiver.

Also, maybe related, maybe not, sometimes the bolt hangs a little as it closes (manual operation, I have not fired it yet). a few times this little snag has been enough to stop the bolt’s forward travel leaving the action open about half an inch.

What I have done so far: The rifle was pretty clean when it came in but I disassembled it and cleaned it real good. When I took the side plate off of the fire control unit a little piece from the rear of the feed throat fell out. Apparently it was broken but held in place by the pressure of the side plates. I was sure I had found the problem, or part of it. I happened to have a spare feed throat from a used fire control unit I purchased for spare parts. It is the same style as the one in the gun (I know there are at least three styles.) Visually the width of the feed throat looked a hair narrower. which would be a good thing.. would hold the round a little tighter/longer and keep it from turning right.. I didn’t measure them and compare so I don’t know what the difference in the gaps is, if there actually is one.

I have several new return springs (seems every one of these I take apart.. someone has crimped the spring putting it back in) and compared to a new one the spring in the gun seemed compressed from age.. was noticeably shorter than the new one. So I replaced the return spring with a brand new one. Made sure everything was nice and clean, rubbed a very very light coating of oil around, re-assembled it with great expectations for success.

Not so much….

Same problem. Using snap caps of course cycled 7 or 8 rounds at a time through the tube magazine. They popped right up into the feed throat, looked fine…but as soon as I started to let the bolt move forward it would push the rounds forward just a little and then they would start to pivot to the right. If I hold the bolt back and slowly push a round with a screwdriver it will either pivot up and stub against the top of the barrel/receiver or move forward looking like they are going to go into the chamber but then pop out of the feed throat like a jumping flea.

Soooooo….Give me some magic! Or solutions…